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Q&A With Eidos-Montreal and Nixxes Software on the PC Version of Deus Ex: Human Revolution

The devs describe why the outsourced PC version of Deus Ex: Human Revolution looks and plays like it was designed for the PC first.

After BioWare's hardcore tactical RPG became consolized in Dragon Age II and Crytek's rig-busting shooter lost its oomph in Crysis 2, PC gamers were near catatonic when they learned Eidos-Montreal outsourced the PC version of Deus Ex: Human Revolution. Not again. Not Deus Ex. Not a console port!

Fear not, Eidos-Montreal tells us in an exclusive interview, making a straight console port of Deus Ex: Human Revolution was never an option, and the studio went to great lengths to co-develop the PC version with partner Nixxes (while getting an added assist from hardware partner AMD). The result, Eidos-Montreal Director of Technology Julien Bouvrais and Nixxes Software Founder and President Jurjen Katsman explain, is an outsourced game that looks and plays like it was designed for the PC first.

GameSpy: Warren Spector's and Harvey Smith's original Deus Ex is on the shortlist of all-time PC classics. Knowing this, how important was it to Eidos-Montreal to make a great PC version of Human Revolution?

Julien Bouvrais, director of technology, Eidos-Montreal: Deus Ex is one of those legendary franchises amongst developers. A vast majority of people who have been working in the industry for a while and have been playing games since they were kids, have dreamt about one day being part of such a cornerstone of the gaming history.

I remember back in June 2007, when I started at the studio, I was employee number 11 and at that time pretty much everyone spent their first days playing the original Deus Ex again. That was a self-imposed requirement. Everyone felt it was important that it be fresh in our minds when we talked about the game and what Deus Ex: Human Revolution would be.

GameSpy: So why was the decision ultimately made to outsource the PC version?

Julien Bouvrais: Obviously, while console versions of the game were part of the picture, PC was also a big focus. It was simply out of the question to do a straight port of the console version to PC, while being able to keep the essence of the adventure we experienced seven years before. With this in mind, we started exploring ways to best create the whole Deus Ex: Human Revolution project -- console and PC.

There was really no way our team could tackle all three platforms at the same time. Making a Deus Ex game is an incredible challenge in the first place and we wanted to be sure we wouldn't put the game at risk.

Outside of Heng Sha Hive, the visual enhancements in the PC version shine.

GameSpy: So you turned to Nixxes Software, most recently Eidos Interactive's partner on the PC version of Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light. Why was the Netherlands-based studio the right choice for Human Revolution?

Bouvrais: Working with an external studio that had lots of experience on PC, with which Eidos had been working for several years, started to make a lot of sense. Nixxes knew the engine extremely well, they had delivered many PC games, and were huge fans of the Deus Ex franchise as well. The head office was really supportive of this decision, and retrospectively, I am convinced this is one of the best decisions we made to ensure the quality of the game.

When we took the initial steps to outsource the PC version, Nixxes was already collaborating with us on the game and had a very good understanding of what we were trying to achieve. They didn't really have to get up to speed on the technology or our ambitions, which clearly allowed for a very smooth transition. The Eidos-Montreal and Nixxes teams literally worked together in the same code repository, keeping in contact daily. We were as close as we could be to one another considering both studios are 6,000 kilometers apart.

GameSpy: Jurjen, how did your studio react when it learned it would be working on a prequel to Deus Ex?

Jurjen Katsman, founder and president, Nixxes Software: Everyone in the studio was extremely excited about working on Deus Ex: Human Revolution. We have worked on PC versions of quite a few games over the years, but Deus Ex has been such an iconic franchise on PC that it really made it a special project for Nixxes. Everyone really wanted to play a part in ensuring that the PC community would get the prequel that they have been waiting on for such a long time.

Since we had already been working with Eidos-Montreal on the technology for quite a while, it was relatively easy to roll into the project. We had already met some of the key contacts, in most cases face-to-face, so communication went quite smoothly.

Improved Screen Space Ambient Occlusion and enhanced depth of field.

GameSpy: When Eidos-Montreal revealed to the public that the PC version of Deus Ex: Human Revolution was being outsourced, the reaction from the PC gaming community was fast and furious. How aware of the fan feedback were Eidos-Montreal and Nixxes? Did it have any impact on the work you were doing on the PC version of the game?

Jurjen Katsman: We followed the announcement and the reactions quite closely here at Nixxes. I would say that some of the more negative reactions only made us more determined to make sure that the PC version would really stand out and be a great PC game. Many reactions also confirmed that we actually were on the right track. A lot of fears that people voiced were about things we would never consider acceptable in a PC game either.

Julien Bouvrais: Even before we announced the collaboration with Nixxes, there was a great fear from the fans of the original game about the PC version of Deus Ex: Human Revolution. We were following the community in the forums and their reactions about the rebirth of Deus Ex and what it would mean for the PC version of the game. Many were scared that it would be a straight port of the console game, which is exactly what we, the developers both at Eidos-Montreal and Nixxes, just didn't want for the game. We took many steps in ensuring the PC version would have its own flavor.

I would say that the fans' reactions on the forums and social networks did have a direct impact on our decisions as it comforted us in our decision to not only outsource its development, but also work with AMD as a hardware partner to deliver even more specific features.

Jurjen Katsman: It was also good to see that it was not only negative reactions. People actually had faith in us doing a good job on this game, and I believe that with Deus Ex: Human Revolution we have lived up to that expectation.

Select the best weapon for the job in a flash with a UI designed for PC gaming and customizable keyboard and mouse controls.

GameSpy: Let's get into the nuts and bolts of the PC version of the game. What specific features set it apart from its console counterparts and make it a game that's truly designed for PC gaming?

Julien Bouvrais: First off, Nixxes developed a DX11 renderer that is used on the PC, when available. We did leverage this by adding several features you will see when you have DX11 hardware on your PC: real-time tessellation, improved Screen Space Ambient Occlusion, improved blurs and depth of field. We also added custom support for AMD's Eyefinity (multiple monitors), and 3DHD. On another note, the user interface has been tailored for the keyboard, and mouse controls can be fully customized for your gaming habits.

Jurjen Katsman: We did quite a lot of work on anti-aliasing as well. We offer various anti-aliasing options to gamers to choose from depending on how powerful their hardware is. They really help smooth out rough edges that you can see more easily on a PC monitor.

Technically, little details that we believe PC gamers will appreciate are additional options to customize the gameplay, like adjusting the FOV, and disabling the reticle.

Adjust the FOV, remove the reticle, and put your aim to the test.

GameSpy: Any features you wanted to work into the PC version that didn't make the cut? And of those features that did make it, which do you think will impress PC gamers the most?

Jurjen Katsman: As for something that didn't make the cut, after we had been quite successful in using tessellation on characters, we also spent quite some time trying to use it on the environment as well. With the type of cityscape environments that we see in Deus Ex: Human Revolution it ultimately wasn't a good fit.

Julien Bouvrais: My favorite feature on PC would be the ability to extend your view with Eyefinity as it really adds depth to the experience... this is really something everyone needs to try.

GameSpy: Given that impressive feature set, how do you compare playing the PC version of Deus Ex: Human Revolution and the console versions? In what ways is the experience different on PC?

Jurjen Katsman: We are obviously a little biased, but for us here at Nixxes, the PC version really is the version you should play. The extra depth you get from 3D or EyeFinity, and the extra crispness of the enhanced resolution, effects, and frame-rate, really give you superior visuals. And the speed and accuracy that you get from playing with mouse and keyboard compared with a gamepad, at least for me personally, makes it a pretty easy choice.

Julien Bouvrais: Looking back at what the game looks like on PC, I am really proud of what we have accomplished. Let's be realistic in that obviously this is the same story on all three platforms -- the same characters, the same core gameplay features, etc. However, when I play the game on console or on PC, my approach is different... the experience is different.

If you ask people on the team which version of the game they prefer to play, you will get different answers, and I truly think it depends on what kind of a gamer you are. Those who usually play on console prefer the console versions whereas the PC gamers wouldn't play Deus Ex: Human Revolution on anything other than a PC. This is how I personally measure what we have accomplished with the game.

Get an eyeful with up to five monitors through Eyefinity support.

GameSpy: Wrapping things up, how would you describe the overall experience of making the PC version of Deus Ex: Human Revolution together?

Julien Bouvrais: Overall, developing Deus Ex: Human Revolution has been an incredible experience for me. It was never an easy ride, but we took the time we needed to make it right, and I am happy with the result. We learned a lot about the franchise and about ourselves as a team, and this is really key when you start a studio from scratch like we did.

When it comes to PC, we have reached our goals to deliver a unique experience on this platform and Nixxes has been a big part of this.

Jurjen Katsman: The cooperation with Eidos-Montreal has made Deus Ex: Human Revolution an amazing project for us and we are very proud of the end result. We hope that it will show people that having the PC version produced by another studio can actually really be a good thing for a game.

Want more on the PC version of Deus Ex: Human Revolution? See the devs go into more detail about working with hardware partner AMD and describe how they designed the PC HUD and controls in the videos below:

Spy Guy says: Yup, I threw a bit of a fit when I learned the prequel to one of the greatest PC games ever was being outsourced. Now that I've got the full rundown of features, I'm confident DXHR will play like it was designed for the PC first. Are you?